Things they Carried
by Yuna Cifer
Summary: The things they carried were largely based on necessity, such as a wand, candy, a locket, camera, whatever one person could carry on themselves at one time.
1. Chapter 1

The things they carried were largely determined by necessity. Among the necessities or near-necessities were there wands, pocket knives, chewing gum, cigarettes, a canteen of brandy, and photos of loved ones, candy, anything they could carry on them and leave with at a moment's notice. Although these Items didn't weigh much for some of these men and women the items they did carry had a weight all their own one much heavier than their everyday load.

Collin Creevey was a small boy with light hair; he was a rather cheery kid always carrying a camera around with him taking photos of everything he saw. When I first met Collin he was only eleven years old and had a awed expression on his face, were standing in the Great Hall, the enchanted ceiling shining above us. His look of awe said it all I knew then that he was a muggleborn and that he had never seen magic before. I was in my third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and had been sorted into Gryffindor. So was Collin.

Years later in my Seventh year the Dark Lord took reign once again and all of the half-bloods and muggleborns were forced to attend Hogwarts unable to leave. Collin carried his camera now like a safeguard he took pictures of everything but not like before, before he took pictures of simple things like students in a study group with their head down reading intently, an owl perched on a windowsill, a cat chasing a scruffy rat down the corridor, I asked him once why he always carried that camera around an why he to pictures with it all the time. I simple replied that.

"I need to have proof, proof that when I wake in the morning all this isn't some fantastic dream I'm having, because this is just too good to be true, you realize that this is something that every little muggle boy and girl dreams of every night before they go to bed, to have the power to make anything happen just by your own will"

At that a strange wistful look came into his eyes and he turned and left.

I asked him that question again in my Seventh year I wanted to know why he still held onto that camera, why keep taking pictures. The answer I got back was a completely different one than before.

"I don't know to be honest, when I first got this camera I intended to fill it with memories and moments that couldn't be recalled by the mind but, now it's different what I'm trying to do, what I'm trying to capture is the…agony, heartache, and this bloody war, I' m going to put all in to one place an burn all it all to hell those damned Death Eaters are not going to destroy this school, this is my dream! Goddammit! I know it won't end the war but those memories, moments, innocent, youthful days will be mine again"

As Collin finished his gray eyes were smoldering he would not go out without a fight.

Neville Longbottom carried a small opaque orb known as a remembrall in the center of the hollow orb you could see white clouds swirling about. The remembrall was supposed to remind its owner that they'd forgotten something by turning the white clouds into red clouds. I remember hearing one evening about how Neville's Remembrall was stolen by Draco Malfoy a first year Slytherin. Draco had stolen Neville's Remembrall and went up into the air on his broom, Neville was injured previously as his broom bucked him off and sent him flying which broke his wrist, which is how Malfoy got his Remembrall. Harry Potter The-Boy-Who-Lived had gotten the Remembrall back from Malfoy by catching it expertly earning him a place on the Gryffindor Quidittich team.

After that incident Neville held his Remembrall closer than ever for Harry Potter had gotten it back for him and he was grateful to Harry for that.

I once found Neville sitting in the common room, elbows resting on his knees, leaning forward, and head bowed in his hands rested the Remembrall from so long ago. His face was drawn, long shadows contouring his features making him seem years older. The fire barely crackled in the large hearth. Neville's eyes stared into the misty orb as if it were just him and the Remembrall that remained of the world. The white mist in orb shifted about lazily, twisting complicated patterns inside its small space. In the dimmed light of the common room the mist appeared to be gray.

Sensing that something was bothering him I approached him and layed a hand on his shoulder, saying his name loudly enough that he wouldn't startle.

Neville pried his eyes away from the Remembrall and looked up at me with a question in his eyes, he was wondering what I was doing up at this hour it was nearly eleven o' clock. I had actually been making my rounds making sure the first years were in bed as a Head Girl that was my responsibility and doubly so since the Death Eaters and You-Know-Who had taken over, and I was not going to let the Carrow's hurt the first years or anybody for that matter.

"Longbottom, what are you doing up at this hour", I asked

"Remembering", he replied roughly

"Remembering what?" I asked delicately not wanting to offend him, if he up this late it probably not a good memory.

"Nothing special. You know in my first year Harry, you know Harry Potter, he got it back for me after I sprained my wrist at our flying lesson, Malfoy stole it," at that he scowled whether it was at the mention of Malfoy or the fact that he stole it I couldn't be sure. "Yeah, Harry just hopped right on his and caught it straight from the air, never been on a broom before in his whole life, probably wasn't even scared, I would never have been able to do that not my first time." At that he returned his gaze back to the shining orb, head bowed lower than before.

"Well don't stay up to late Longbottom" I said while walking away I thought I heard a whisper escape his lips, it sounded like "Our only hope".


	2. Chapter 2

Not long after I graduated in my seventh year had You-Know-Who been resurrected and I had to choices continue with my plans and take the job at the Ministry or join the Order of the Phoenix. But two months after He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had returned, his Death Eaters attacked one of my good friends homes leaving a sick green Dark Mark hovering atop her house. I took it as a sign and decided then and there that I would be joining the Order.

Two weeks later I was initiated into the Order of the Phoenix and going on missions to recover information for the Order. On one of these missions I was teamed with Remus Lupin, Moody (an eccentric Auror), and Elphias Doge. The mission was simple Doge and Moody would take a polyjuice potion disguising themselves as Death Eaters, while Lupin and I would hide ourselves under disillusionment charms and invisibility cloaks.

We were to find any information on any upcoming raids and then report back to headquarters. When we got there the whole thing went to hell in a hand basket. The Death Eaters knew and started firing hexes and killing curses in every which direction. Moody immediately went into action and started firing back, Lupin didn't hesitate either, disarming or stunning as many Death Eaters as possible.

I stood terrified under my invisibility cloak, terrified. This was the enemy, the shadows that consumed the light and killed without mercy or compassion. My stomach turned doing flips at this thought, all I could do was watch with horrified fascination burning in my eyes. It was a shout that brought me out of my thoughts, my eyes focused on the scene in front of me.

Lupin was running full speed toward Doge, a spell on his lips about to be cast. Doge's face was one of surprise as a green spell speeded towards him. Lupin still ran as fast as he could toward Doge but with no success as the spell hit Doge squarely in the chest. Doge's expression was a serene mask as he fell, his wand slipping out of his hand out of his fingers as he fell backwards, arms creating a graceful arc in the air, fingers still slightly curved as if still holding his wand.

Doge's short hair falling in front of his face, his descent to the ground seemed to move in slow motion, each second like an hour. Finally he fell touching the dirt, Lupin skidded to a halt in front of Doge's paralyzed body, grabbing him by the robes Lupin gave the signal to retreat and we all apparated out towards headquarters.

Later on I knew I would never forget what it looked like, what it felt like to watch someone die. I would never again freeze like that in battle again no one was going to die on my account again.

Occasionally there would be a day at headquarters that was slow, which was good and bad at the same time. It either meant that the Death Eaters weren't up to anything or that they were and we just didn't know. On these days most of the members went out and did their own thing. But the more dedicated members stayed ready for anything, to be called into battle. Of them were Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Moody, and Nymphadora Tonks.

Moody affectionately named Mad-Eye because of his whizzing synthetic eye. Moody carried a flask of whiskey all the time; everyone just chalked it up to one of his eccentricities. I don't think so I believe Moody carried the flask because he was trying to ease his mind, calm his nerves. Without the flask Moody probably would have broken long ago. I don't think Moody was drowning his sorrows or anything petty like that.


End file.
